Lunch box



April 18, 1950 s JONES 2,504,132

LUNCH Box Filed May a, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I :1 ueutor Edwin S. Jones s. JONES LUNCH BOX April 18, 1950 2 Sheets-Shee 2 Filed May 1947" I11 rel/tor Edwin S Jones and Patented Apr. 18, 1950 LUNCH y I EdwinS. Jones, Atlantm Gac, assignor ofldneehali to Charles H. Cor'ie Atlal'ita; .Ga.-. Application May 8, 1947; Serial N6; 6165i? ZiCl'aims. (emf-9.49) I This invention relates to new and useful improvements in lunch boxes and more particularly to a lunch box having a heating unit therein adapted to warm food or the like placed in said box.

The primary feature of this invention is to provide a device of this character adapted for use by workmen that will provide a convenient means for keeping foods placed therein fresh for long periods of time.

Another feature of this invention is to provide a device of the character referred to, having a tightly fitted tray that can be washed without permitting water to enter the heating unit.

A further important feature is to provide a device of this character that is neat and attractive in appearance, efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and other- .wise well'adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing the tray lid and box cover in a slightly raised position, and with parts shown in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the food tray I with the lid removed therefrom and with parts broken away and shown in section.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 represents a box opened at its top, said box-being preferably rectangular in construction.

Aconventional hot plate 6 having recesses I in its upper face adapted for receiving an electric heating coil "la. is lowered in box 5 and rests on the lower surface of said box. A conventional socket having therein a male plug (not shown) connecting coil la is provided in the lower portion of said hot plate, and a rectangular opening 8 in the lower portion of side wall 9 of the box exrust-proof iand zacidlresisting, is supported zonihot plate 6.

The tray is composed of a plurality of shallow containers [3 having their sides spaced from each other to provide an air space l4 therebetween, and the upper edges of the containers are united by bridge members I5 to close the top of the air spaces l4 and the outer edges of the containers are formed with horizontal flanges 16 spacing the containers from the walls of the box 5 to provide air space I! therebetween. The edges of the flanges l6 extend upwardly to form vertical flanges l8 engaged under downturned channels I9 at the upper edges of the box.

The containers I3 are closed by a single lid 20 hinged to the rear horizontal flange [6, the

lid being secured in closed position by a swinging button 2| secured to the front horizontal flange.

The inverted channels l9 seal the upper edges of the tray to prevent water reaching the coils when washing the tray.

The lower rear edge of a conventional hollow cover 22 is hingedly connected to the rear edge of the box, the lower edges of the cover telescoping over the upper edges of the box.

A handle 23 is suitably secured to the upper surface of cover 22, and a spring clamp 24 having one end secured to the inner surface of the cover is adapted to hold a Thermos bottle or the like 25 in the inner hollow portion of said cover.

Plug it being engaged in the socket in the lower portion of the hot plate, it is merely necessary to insert plug Ha in a conventional socket for energizing coil 1 and causing the lower portion of tray l 2 to become heated.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a lunch box, a tray having downwardly pressed, spaced food containers, the outer periphery of said tray bent vertically upwardto form flanges, means securing the flanges to the inner walls of said box, to provide a water tight connection between said tray and said box, a lid covering said tray. said lid being hingedly secured t the rear portion of the tray, a latch carried by the forward portion of said tray and adapted to lock said lid in a closed position, a hot plate having a coil carried by the lower portion of said box, the lower portion oi said food containers resting on said hot plate, and a socket provided in the hot plate and adapted to receive the free end of an electrical cord for energizing the coil carried by the hot plate and thereby heating foods placed in said containers.

2. In combination with a lunch box, a tray having downwardly pressed, spaced food containers. the outer periphery of said tray bent vertically upward to form flanges, inverted channels at the upper edges of said box overlying the flanges to tightly hold the tray within the box and to form a substantially water-tight connection between the tray and the box so that said tray can be washed without permitting water to enter the lower portion of the box, a lid hingedly con- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,187,196 Douglass Jan. 16, 1940 2,236,238 Lacy Mar. 25, 1941 

